Goodreads Blurb
Wren MacAvoy works as a coal miner for a domed city that was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century to protect the royal blood line of England when astronomers spotted a comet on a collision course with Earth. Humanity would be saved by the most groundbreaking technology of the time. But after nearly 200 years of life beneath the dome, society has become complacent and the coal is running out. Plus there are those who wonder, is there life outside the dome or is the world still consumed by fire? When one of Wren's friends escapes the confines of the dome, he is burned alive and put on display as a warning to those seeking to disrupt the dome’s way of life. But Alex’s final words are haunting. “The sky is blue.” What happens next is a whirlwind of adventure, romance, conspiracy and the struggle to stay alive in a world where nothing is as it seems. Wren unwittingly becomes a catalyst for a revolution that destroys the dome and the only way to survive might be to embrace what the entire society has feared their entire existence.
I'm doing a DNF (did not finish) review. It'll be short, since I didn't finish it actually! And while you shouldn't take this at heart, because, after all, I didn't finish the book, these are just a few reasons why I quit the book. For all you know, you may end up completely LOVING this book!
Sadly, I didn't, no matter how much I really wanted to.
The first thing that hit me when I read the pitch was "Oh! This sounds a lot like City of Ember! Loved that, may as well read this." And I could barely get 10 pages in, honestly. I couldn't connect to the character who, while she seemed nice and selfless, was just...not there for me.
The writing was another thing. It was written in present terms (ex: "She calls" instead of "She called") and while I usually love that, there was something that I can't quite put my finger on that made it seem awkward. Out of place. I think it was actually a bit choppy, really. And present tense, when not done properly, can get real annoying. I just couldn't...I couldn't go any further than I already was.
Some of the worldbuilding and happenings actually confused me and I actually had to reread things several times before I realized what was actually going on.
So, maybe I will give this another try when my TBR has lightened, maybe when I'm in a cheerful mood where I don't analyze every little detail. But the first time around, I just couldn't read this. However, I skipped to the back a bit (I do that sometimes) and it seems the writing improved then than in the beginning, but still. We'll see what happens! I may re-review this, sometime in the future! It does seem to have a lot of potential, but I'm a bit out of patience recently.
Pages: 320
Series: Ashes Trilogy
Genre: Dystopia/Romance (I'm guessing)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: Nov 13, 2012
Rating: DNFed (Though this may change later in the future)
Well, I love the cover of this book. It has a very strange premise, that is captivating. Sadly, you have not finished it.
ReplyDeleteYou know? I am not the type that doesn't finish books, but unfortunately, I think that since July, I have left three books in the middle. I just cannot finish them
I will add this to mY TBR, Nikki, great review!
Your reader,
Soma
http://insomnia-of-books.blogspot.com/
I actually loved this book! Give it another shot maybe down the line it gets really good after the first few chapters and I can't wait for the second one :)
ReplyDelete-Jaime
Yours is the second review that I have read for this book, and your is the second review that wasn't so hot. That doesn't bode well for me and this book. But I will probably pick up the book if I ever see it just to look at the cover. It is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I have issues with flipping to the back of the book when I am about halfway through. Terrible habit, but I own it!